What is 'Gentrification'?

Gentrification is the process of transforming a lower-income and often crime-ridden urban area to a more upscale, affluent area. Gentrification is usually initiated by affluent residents and businesses moving in and is accompanied by the renovation and reconstruction of buildings, parks, and other local amenities. It is also known for increasing surrounding property values and rent prices and displacing residents who cannot afford the higher cost of living.

Gentrification is the transformation process of a lower-income and often crime-ridden urban area to an upscale, trendy region initiated by affluent residents moving in.

The term was coined in 1964 by British sociologist Ruth Glass. She described this phenomenon when it was happening in a working-class immigrant borough of London, England after she noticed young professionals beginning to relocate there. Gentrification comes from the British word “gentry,” which refers to wealthy landowners.

There is also a cultural aspect of gentrification. For example, pawnshops and check-cashing stores being replaced by yoga studios, art lofts, and juice bars would signal gentrification.

Gentrification Controversy
Because a gentrified neighborhood becomes a more expensive neighborhood in which to live, gentrification is also a controversial and politically charged issue. When a neighborhood experiences gentrification, current residents can eventually be displaced when they become priced out of the neighborhood they had been occupying.

If the rent rises to reflect inflated market rates, many renters of both houses and apartments in gentrified neighborhoods cannot afford rent anymore. Likewise, residents of gentrified areas who own their homes outright might become priced out if property taxes become too high from neighborhood improvements.

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[raqmelah]

Gentrification occurs when the government don't take care of the areas and make it impossible for the property owners to pay their taxes by inflating them. These areas purposely don't get assistance or renovations although the people living in those areas are constantly reaching out to the local government agencies. It's hard to find jobs because there are non. For those that own businesses as I stated They get no assistance forcing them to close or sell low. They slowly force the residents out again purposely because it's their plan to rebuild once they push the people out,
then they rebuild making it impossible for the original owners of the surrounding areas to ever live there again.
Once it's renovated they make sure they cater to only a certain class of people. Now they build businesses and create jobs for the new residents in the area.
It's not a good thing it's all planned to push out the "poor" people.
Why wait to build buisness when they can renovate and build with the same people that were there.
I've seen it happen in Virginia and DC.(originally called chocolate city)

[coppermelanativesistar]

I noticed you paid your house off. It feels good, Right! How would you like it if a group of people came in and raised the prices even more to the point were you could no longer be able to stay there. Then they were able to move you out and they moved into your home and enjoyed what you once had. That would not be great would it? That is really what happened to the people that live in these areas. “These people” are so called black/african Natives/Aboriginal People to this land. Not from Africa as y’all say but originally born here. Gentrification is just a nice word with your nice definition to make people feel good for stealing other people’s land.

[claudettephillpotts]

if you own a decent property keep it up you are in danger

[bethschuler]

So what is the term used for a nice affluent area becoming a less desired area when a lot of crime and trashiness comes in and decreases the value of your home. It's insane to me that some of the undesired areas to live in have the prettiest houses, craftsman style homes but Noone wants to live there because it's now a slum. Just wondering what that term is. BTW before anyone claims I'm being racist I'm not. The areas that I know of are about a 50/50 ratio.

[bathwamdladla]

well explained... in other videos i could not... thank you

[feeshunter]

The biggest thing BP have failed at, was the chance of living a really lavish and wealthy lifestyle by simply taking care of the neighborhoods and homes they've inherited back in the old days from the rich white men who owned the homes before them (and now turned into a rotting craphole). At least in the city where I live, these old homes are near the downtown area, which was once owned by really wealthy rich white men/families. Had BP not tore up these neighborhoods and the homes within and kept the neighborhoods safe/crime free and the usual, these homes would've gone up astronomically in value (due to the old history within), causing nearly every single BP in this part of the city to be wealthy.

As we all know, home values tend to appreciate over time, but not when BP move in, once BP are in a home, the value decreases (instead of appreciating). BP themselves are the ones to blame for their own failure in life.

[mikaels]

The bad thing about it is the oeolle who struggled there for so long don't benefit from the new look and business.

[netzapper]

I don’t like this video generalizing it with depicting people by their races.

[vincentmurphy]

Way to kick out low income people with out saying it !

[tamivillalobos]

Yes homeless people because rent is high and many other issues have led to this outcome for

[entrepreneurcity]

I can see the pros and cons to it, so many people act like it's all bad. Always good to do your own research. I'm all about protecting the senior citizens and people who are in the community making it a great place to live. I feel like we need new improved low-income housing and welfare programs that are better suited for the times we are in right now, they have been a crutch for too many able-bodied US Citizens for far too long.

[PassportKingMarineVet]

It’s happening in Brooklyn believe it or not ..

[MarkoAssi_pokervlogger]

Shape up or ship out. This is progress.

[lyndaek]

It's not a negative thing. I have no problem with it. It's the cost of development. Maybe they could try to not raise property taxes till the house changes hands (sold or inherited).

[lilllwizzzle]

Oh no crime is suppressed and quality of living goes up, what a nightmare.

[steventally]

I wish they would gentrify the south and west sides of Chicago and remove the trash that currently resides there.

[rickiandavis]

point out very little, then soapbox myth as truth.

[Natalia-pcfm]

Not helpful in the way it depicts society.

[joejohnson]

Who transformed once good neighborhoods into the crime-ridden areas that they are now. Who transplanted those people, causing them to move out. They complained about that group that maintained the area moving out and now complain about them moving back. Fact is that they just complain. The Fair Housing Act is supposed to allow anybody to move anywhere, providing, of course, paying their property taxes and mortgage. But again, we have to make excuses. As far as business building businesses in these areas is false. They are actually closing many businesses due to the high theft of merchandise and crime. We are talking big box stores here like Walmart, so don't believe that propaganda. We need to go our separate ways.